Exploring Biomineralization in Echinoderms: A Review of Gene Regulatory Networks Through Bibliometrics and Comparative Genomics

Biomineralization is a defining feature of echinoderms and underlies the formation of their calcitic endoskeletons. Considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular basis of echinoderm biomineralization, particularly in sea urchins. However, studies of other echinoderm classes remain limited, and a comprehensive comparison of biomineralization genes and gene regulatory networks across the phylum is still lacking. Here, we combine bibliometric analysis with comparative genomic evidence to summarize current advances in echinoderm biomineralization research. Bibliometric analyses reveal the development of the field, major research themes, and emerging directions, whereas comparative genomic analyses provide an overview of biomineralization genes and gene regulatory networks across different echinoderm classes. Comparative evidence indicates that many transcription factors associated with skeletogenesis are widely distributed across echinoderms. In contrast, biomineralization genes exhibit substantial variation among echinoderm classes. These similarities and differences suggest that broadly shared developmental regulators have been integrated with lineage-specific biomineralization genes to generate the diversity of echinoderm skeletal structures. This review provides a comprehensive overview of biomineralization genes and gene regulatory networks in echinoderms and establishes a comparative framework for future studies of skeletal development, gene regulation, and the evolution of biomineralization across the phylum.